Color photographic element containing ballasted mercaptodiazole derivative and inhibitor releasing coupler

Abstract

The invention provides a color photographic element comprising:a) a first light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a compound of Formula 1: wherein:M is hydrogen, an alkali metal cation or an ammonium cation,X is oxygen, sulfur or selenium, andQ represents a ballasting moiety; provided further that the ClogP for the compound of Formula I is at least 1.0 and less than 7.6; andb) a second light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, having a spectral sensitivity different from that of the first light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, containing a compound of Formula II: wherein:1) COUP is a coupler parent group capable of forming a dye upon reaction with an oxidized developer;2) TIME is a timing group and j is 0 or 1; and3) INH is a mild silver development inhibitor fragment.The invention provides improved color reproduction.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A color photographic element comprising: 
       a) a first light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a compound of Formula I that is not a coupler and does not react with oxidized developer:                    
        wherein:  
       M is a hydrogen, an alkali metal cation or an ammonium group,  
       X is oxygen, sulfur or selenium; and  
       Q represents a ballasting moiety sufficient to provide a ClogP for the compound of at least 1.0 and less than 7.6; and  
       b) a second light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, having a spectral sensitivity different from that of the first light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, containing a compound of Formula II:  
       
         
           COUP—(TIME) j —INH  II  
         
       
        wherein:  
       1) COUP is a coupler parent group capable of forming a dye upon reaction with an oxidized developer;  
       2) TIME is a timing group bonded to the coupling position of COUP and j is 0 or 1; and  
       3) INH is a mild silver development inhibitor fragment.  
     
     
       2. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein Q is an alkyl substituent group. 
     
     
       3. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein Q is an aryl substituent group. 
     
     
       4. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein the ClogP of the compound of Formula I is at least 1.5 but less than 4.0. 
     
     
       5. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein INH contains a hydrolyzable group. 
     
     
       6. The color photographic element of claim I wherein INH is a mercaptotetrazole group. 
     
     
       7. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein INH is a N-alkyl mercaptotetrazole group containing an ester group in the alkyl chain. 
     
     
       8. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein j is at least one. 
     
     
       9. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein INH is a benzotriazole group. 
     
     
       10. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein INH is a triazole or tetrazole group. 
     
     
       11. The color photographic element of claim  4  wherein INH is a mercaptotetrazole group. 
     
     
       12. The color photographic element of claim  4  wherein INH is a benzotriazole group. 
     
     
       13. The color photographic element of claim  4  wherein INH contains a hydrolyzable group. 
     
     
       14. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein Q contains at least one thioether group. 
     
     
       15. The color photographic element of claim  4  wherein Q contains a thioether group. 
     
     
       16. The color photographic element of claim  1  in which the compound of Formula II is selected from the following compounds:                    
     
     
       17. The color photographic element of claim  4  wherein the compound of Formula I is selected from the following compounds:                    
     
     
       18. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein the compound of Formula I is selected from the following compounds:                    
     
     
       19. The color photographic element of claim  1  wherein the compound of Formula I is present as a dispersion in a hydrophobic organic solvent. 
     
     
       20. The color photographic element of claim  19  wherein the hydrophobic organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of tricresylphosphate, N,N-diethyllauramide, N,N′-dibutyllauramide, p-dodecylphenol, dibutylpthalate, di-n-butyl sebacate, N-n-butylacetanilide, 9-octadec-en-1-ol, trioctylamine and 2-ethylhexylphosphate. 
     
     
       21. The element of claim  1  where the ratio of the number of mmols of diazole to the number of mols of silver in the first (same) layer is less than 1.0. 
     
     
       22. The element of claim  4  where the ratio of the number of mmols of diazole to the number of mols of silver in the first (same) layer is less than 1.0.